The QuickStart 10 & Under players: (L-R, front) Andrea Larsen, Claire LaVigne, Sophie Eliasen, Reilly Wahlers, Amelia Roth, Jessica MacCudden, Luke Johnson (L-R, back) Wellesley Howard- Larsen, Lucy Callender, Jackson Fenner, Noah Works, Leif Anderson, Seth Kemp, Will Ramberg, and David Blackburn. (Not pictured Josh Prom, Abby Prom, Isak Terrill, and Tristen Bockovich)
This spring 65 boys and girls, ages 5 – 16, participated in the five-week 2010 USTA Jr. Team Tennis program. Players practiced and competed in one of four divisions, QuickStart Tennis 8 & Under Division; QuickStart Tennis 10 & Under Division; 18 & Under Stars Division and 18 & Under Stripes Division. Forty-six junior players participated in the QuickStart divisions while 19 participated in the Stars and Stripes divisions.
QuickStart Tennis is an exciting new play format, for kids age 10-and-under, being promoted nationwide by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). This new play format for learning tennis is designed to bring kids into the game by utilizing specialized equipment, shorter court dimensions and modified scoring, all tailored to age and size. It is divided into two different levels, ages 8 and under and ages 10 and under.
For those players 8 and younger, the size of the court is 36’ x 18’. The set-up divides
standard size court into several smaller courts, using the standard size court’s doubles sidelines as baselines. This modification makes it possible to fit more players onto a single court. Racquets are up to 23” in size, so that every child can easily handle the equipment. The ball, either foam or very low compression, bounces lower and travels slower. The net height is 2’9”, making it easier for each child to rally.
QuickStart 8 & Under kids: (L-R, front) C.J. Luehring, Ella Sporn, Olivia Nesgoda Works, Jacob Dorr, Greta Roth, Molly LaVigne, Isaac Cuevas. (L-R, second row) Drew Pelletier, Chloe Blackburn, Malin Anderson, Ella Hedstrom, Riley Tarver, Louise Ramberg, Hazel Kemp, Abbey Stoddard. (L-R, back) Vaughn Swindlehurst, Jayden Grivette, Aurora Schelmeske, Ellen Callender, Adam Dorr, and Adrian Howard-Larsen. (Not pictured Alice Koster, Halle Lamb, Chase Gwash, Jaymie Kirk, Ole Sorensen, and Will Surbaugh)
For those children 10 and younger, the size of the court is 60’ x 21’ (60’ x 27’ for doubles). The rackets are up to 25” in size. The low compression ball used travels a little faster and farther than the foam ball, but still has a lower bounce and travels slower than a regulation ball.
QuickStart Tennis is fast, easy and fun and it offers a great way for parents to get involved in their child’s activities. Scaling the game down to their size helps make the learning process easier and a lot more fun for the players.
The after-school tennis program Stars division: (L-R, front) Sarah Toftey, Alyssa Martinson, Hannah Toftey. (L-R, back) Sam O’Phelan, Will Lamb, Andrew Thompson, Dylan Works, Noah Roth.
More than 1,000 tennis sites, including Grand Marais, have begun implementing the QuickStart Tennis format into their 10-and-under programming and the USTA has made this format an integral part of their co-ed recreation Jr. Team Tennis league and its tournaments.
Thethree new public tennis courts in Grand Marais have narrow QuickStart Tennis lines painted on them, in a light blue color.
The Stars Division (ages 18 & under) included players who were at a beginner to advanced beginner skill level while the Stripes Division
ages 18 & under) players were at an intermediate to advanced skill level.
Each division met twice a week for instruction and gametype activities and drills. The main tennis instructors were John Muus, Paul Muus, Scott Bergstrom, Kathy Bolstad and 10th grade volunteer, Molly Zafft. All of the junior players received T-shirts and medals or Dairy Queen gift cards for participating.
Kids now have an
opportunity to sign up
and participate in the
summer National Junior
Tennis League program,
which begins June 22.
The after-school tennis program Stripes division: Front – Lars Scannell. (L-R, second row) Libby Zafft, Shelby Ahrendt, Molly Zafft and Jamie Wick. (L-R, back) Justin Goldstein, David Bergstrom, Daniel Ahrendt. (Not pictured Kieran Scannell, Collin Berglund, Cecelia Schnobrich)
For more information, contact John Muus at (218) 387-2198 or jcmuus@boreal.org .
Registration forms are available at the school officesin Grand Marais or online at www.cookcountytennis.org
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